This invention relates to a system and method for collecting, processing and managing livestock data, e.g., data related to cattle and, more particularly, to visible tags of individual animal identifiers, displays for displaying the animal identifiers and other signs, devices for inputting animal-related data into an electronic system, data warehousing and management systems located on a local or wide area, global computer network such as the Internet, web sites for entering and displaying animal-related information, and algorithms for processing animal-related data to produce useful information such as predictive modeling.
The U.S. cattle industry comprises several vertically integrated segments, such as producers, feedlots, packing plants, wholesalers/retailers. The cattle industry cycle starts with the commercial cattle producers maintaining herds of cows that are used to produce calves. The calves are grown to a certain size and then moved to feedlots where tens of thousands of head of cattle or other ruminants are cared for in various stages of growth. In the feedlots, the ruminants are fed a special diet to reach their optimum weight and size while trying to keep the animals healthy. Subsequently, the animals are sent to the packing plants for slaughter and cutting of the carcasses into various cuts of meat. These cuts of meat are packed, chilled and shipped by the packers to the wholesalers/retailers for distribution to the public.
The goal at each cattle industry segment is to promote efficiency and optimize its operation. Each vertical segment, however, does not have access to animal-related data of another vertical segment up and down the stream of commerce. Complicating matters even further is the sheer number of participants in the industry: there are a large number of producers, feedlot operators, packing plant operators, and wholesalers/retailers. For example, a feedlot operator receives calves from a large number of producers and would prefer to keep track of individual, as well as group, ownership.
A need, therefore, exists for a system and method for efficiently, safely and accurately collecting animal-related data, managing cattle to obtain maximum economic return at each vertical industry segment, optimally using the accumulated data for each animal, and providing access to animal-related data obtained at each industry segment to allow for informed decision-making strategies.